A printer shows as **offline** when the computer is unable to communicate with it, often due to connectivity issues, incorrect settings, or driver problems. To fix this, you can take several steps to bring the printer back online:
1. **Check the printer power and connection**:
– Ensure the printer is turned on.
– Confirm the printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer (for wireless printers) or properly plugged in via a USB or Ethernet cable (for wired printers)[1][5].
2. **Restart the printer and computer**:
– Power off both devices for about 30 seconds, then turn them back on. This often resets any glitches causing the offline status[1][5].
3. **Disable “Use Printer Offline” mode in Windows**:
– On Windows, go to **Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners**.
– Choose your printer, click **Open queue**, then under the **Printer** menu, ensure **Use Printer Offline** is unchecked. If greyed out, sometimes removing and reinstalling the printer driver helps[2][5].
4. **Reset the print system or assign a static IP (for network printers)**:
– In some cases, especially with HP printers, assigning a static IP address by logging into the printer’s Embedded Web Server (EWS) using its IP address can fix communication issues.
– You can also reset the printing system via the printer list on your PC for a fresh start[4].
5. **Check for pending print jobs**:
– Clear any stuck documents in the print queue as blocked jobs can cause the printer to appear offline[2].
6. **Update or reinstall drivers**:
– Reinstall the printer driver from the manufacturer’s website or the original installation CD, especially after removing conflicting software that might have disturbed the printer setup[2].
These methods combined typically resolve most “printer offline” errors caused by software or connectivity conditions[1][2][3][4][5].